RACING AND POLITICS

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 59, 7 September 1926, Page 7

RACING AND POLITICS

AUSTRALIAN POINT OF VIEW.

Although one or two individuals in New Zealand are sedulously fostering the campaign against the logical control of racing by the Racing Conference, there is no doubt in the minds of Australian racing writers of what would happen if the politicians succeeded in getting even partial control of racing. "Cardigan" of the "Australasian," writing from Adelaide, states the following in regard to this matter:—

At the annual meeting of the S.A.J.C. held recently Mr. W. B. Carr, the chairman, announced that the ruling body intended asking ...e Government for more racing dates. A member of the club, who is also a member of the Labour Party, informed the chairman that he thought the Government would •be agreeable, realising that the ruling body was not so well off as the V.R.C., A.J.C., Q.T.C., or W.A.T.C., but: he ma de the rather startling statement that it was unlikely that the Government would agree unless the S.A.J.C. in turn agreed to the appointment of a board of appeal. It was once called a board of control, but apparently it waa thought1 that "board of appeal" sounded better. Mr. Carr did not express any views on the subject at the meeting, but it is to be sincerely hoped that the S.A.J.C. Committee refuses to bargain for extra racing dates by agreeing to a board of appeal being appointed. Some people/ in Adelaide seem to think that there should- be- a higher tribunal than the S.A.J.C. to hear appeals/ but they apparently overlook the fact that the appointment of an appeal board would cause endless confusion. For instance, if the S.A.J.C. Committee dismissed the appeal' of a disqualified owner, and ho appealed to the board of appeal, who decided to "whitewash" him, apparently he would be able,to race in South Australia, but it is unlikely that any of the premier racing clubs in the other States would recognise the board's, efforts, and a man would then be a disqualified person in other States and as'''pure as a lily" in South Australia. Dr. Benson, chairman of the Port Adelaide Racing Club, and until recently a member of the S.A.J.C. Committee, is apparently in favour of a board of appeal, and he suggests that the board -should-be appointed from representatives of various racing clubs. That may sound all right, but it is safe to say that two or three politicians would be members, and though it may be different-in'South Australia it has not been my good fortune to meet a politician who knows a great deal about racing. Political control in racing would not be in the best interests o£ the sport.